1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method of manufacturing an article, and in particular to a method for manufacturing an article of footwear with a post customization design.
2. Description of Related Art
Methods for applying designs to articles of footwear have been previously proposed. Yoshio (Japanese patent number JP9299107A) is directed at a method for producing a leather shoe. Yoshio teaches the use of a hot-melt resin that is applied to the inner surface of the instep material of a shoe, when the instep material is still divided into parts just after it has been cut out. Following this step, a reinforcing cloth is stuck on that inner surface to prevent the hot-melt resin from peeling off. The instep material is then processed to be a pre-finished shoe. Finally, characters and symbols may be embossed on the outer surface of the pre-finished shoe by a heating/pressing embosser.
Delgatty (U.S. Pat. No. 6,874,256) is directed at a shoe with a removable vamp. Delgatty teaches a shoe construction including a removable vamp. Delgatty further teaches the use of a customizing kit that may be provided to permit a consumer to customize the vamp, for example, by applying a heat transfer image to the vamp. In the Delgatty design, an image or other design may be printed onto a transfer paper supplied in the customizing kit. The user may remove the vamp portion of the shoe, flatten it, and apply the image to the vamp using the transfer paper and heat.
Although the prior art includes methods for applying designs to shoes after they have been manufactured, there are several drawbacks. The prior art does not teach methods for applying post customization designs to a set of two or more articles of footwear as accomplished by the manufacturer. Furthermore, the prior art only allows for designs on specialized portions of articles of footwear, rather than anywhere along the upper. There is a need in the art for a method of post customization that solves these problems.